Apparatus for packing explosive in cartridges



1945- .1. L CLARK gnu.

APPARATUS FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVE IN CARTRIDGES Filed May 25, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

FIG.

INVENTORS Joseph L. Clark Carly/e M Linden Y- C/oyd J Chg/'7 my.(.WTORNEY 194& J. L. CLARK ETAL 9 3 APPARATUS FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVE INCARTRIDGES Filed May 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F E E 55 INVENTQRS JosephL. Clark Car/y/e M Linda/7 C/oyd J. Oberl' 1% ATRNEY y 1946 J. 1.. CLARKETAL. 2,404,434

APPARATUS FOR PACKING-EXPLOSIVE IN CARTRIDGES Filed May 25, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Joseph L. C/ark BY Carly/e M L/hden TTORJEYPatented July 23, 1946 APPARATUS FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVE IN CARTRIDGESJoseph L. Clark, Wilmington, Del., Carlyle M.

Linden,

Chattanooga,

Tenn., and Cloyd J.

Obert, Bessemer, Ala., assignors to Hercules tion of Delaware PowderCompany, Wilmington, DeL, a corpora- Application May 25, 1942, SerialNo. 444,456

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for packing explosive incartridges and, more particularly, to the packing of cartridges withsemiplastio explosive, so that the portion first packed is firm, theportion packed adjacent thereto is soft and the portion last packed isfirm.

Heretofore, attempts to pack a portion of a cartridge firm and theremainder soft or to pack the entire cartridge soft have beenunsatisfactory, due to the fact that the end or ends of the soft packedcartridges, mushroom, wrinkle and/or collapse.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forpacking cartridges wherein an intermediate portion of the cartridge issoft packed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of mechanism forefiectively, safely, and expeditiously packing cartridges with a softcentral portion.

Another object of this invention is the provision of automatic actuatingmechanism for the tamp rods, whereby the difiiculty of releasingaccidentally stuck rods is eliminated along with the dangers inherenttherewith.

Still another object of the present invention resides in rendering thetamping rods immediately inoperative whenever exigencies occur.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

This invention resides in a new and useful improvement comprising atriple-purpose dogging bar to be used in machines for packing explosivein cartridges and the particular embodiment of the invention isillustrated in conjunction with a Hall cartridge-loading machine similarto the machine disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 601,138 to H. P. Hall.Certain improvements in the Hall machine have been made from time totime, and the illustrations depict a Hall machine of recent origin,however, the fundamental principles disclosed in the above mentionedpatent to Hall are still retained and are well known in the art. Thepresent invention is described in conjunction with a modern Hall machineand is clearly understood in reference to the above mentioned patent.

Generally described, the present invention comprises apparatus forpacking a cartridge with semi-plastic explosive in such a manner thatthe lower portion is firm, the central portion soft, and the upperportion firm. This method of packing is accomplished by a triple-purposebar whose functions are: 1) to automatically cause the tamp rods afterthey have packed a couple of strokes in the normal way, i. e. havefirmly packed the bottom portion, to slip up and to then loosely packthe cartridge by merely pushing explosive into the cartridge withouttamping, as the resistance of the explosive in the cartridge builds up,the tamp rods keep slipping up until the cartridge is full, therebygiving a cartridge having a soft packed central portion; (2) to providea-safety feature whereby the bar is automatically actuated betweenpacking cycles to prevent any tamp rods from accidentally sticking downin such manner as to interfere with the rotation of the drum whichcarries the cartridges; (3) to provide a manually operated device whichenables the operator to dogup the entire set of tamping rods to theinoperative position whenever accidents or other exigencies occur. I

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of the specification wherein like reference symbols referto like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a part front elevationalview of the cartridge packing machinewith a part of the revolving shell holder shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a'sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a part rear elevational view'of the triple-purpose bar;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the triplepurpose bar andappurtenant actuating mechanrsm;

Fig. 6 isa transverse sectional view of the trir le-purpose bar with anelevational view of a dogging element shown therewith.

In Fig. l and Fig. 2,-A frames l are rigidly braced by tierods 3and asan integral structure is supported by suitable sub-structure shown outof function. Driving means (not shown) drive gears 5 which engage gearsI which have one end of connecting rods 9 pivotally connected theretoand the other end of the rods pivotally connected to a horizontalcross-head 'II. The

cross-head II reciprocates with an up and down motion as imparted by theconnecting rods 9 and i in frictional engagement with a plurality oftamp-rods 13 thereby likewise reciprocating the plurality of tamp-rods.preferably made in several sections and extend from the top of themachine, usually in an upper story down through the floor to a storybelow,

The tamp-rods I 3 are tamp-rods and the operating devices for thetamp-rods and all metallic surfaces associated therewith are kept in theupper story away from the lower floor where the loading of explosive iseffected. The lower sections i3a'of the tamp rods are preferably "madeof non-metallic and/or non-pyrophoric material. The sections l3a aresecured at their upper ends into metal tubes i317, which extend throughthe floor. The metal tubes I310 are in turn secured to square metalsections (.30 which extend to the top of the machine. Crossbars such asthe cross-bar represented by l5 are positioned throughout the length ofthe tamprods l3 and serve to guide and space them. The extreme lower endof section I30, of the tamprods is tapered and is slightly larger incrosssection at the lower extremity, so that air is permitted to escapewhen the tamp-rods descend into their respective shells and also toprevent undue suction when the tamp-rods ascend from their respectiveshells. The lower ends of the !-3 work through non-pyrophoric"metalnipples H, which are afiixed to the bottom of explosive hopper l9and penetrate the shells being loaded. Theshells are held in 'arotatable shell holder 2|, provided with shell holding cav ities 2m,which rotates-about a horizontal axis and reciprocates vertically incooperation with appurtenant mechanism (notshown) well "known in theart. It is readily seen that the revolution of the shell holder 21 is topermit each series "of shells to be successively and concentricallypositioned beneath the tamp-rods 1'3, while the vertical reciprocationof holder 2| is to permit the holder to -be raised when the shells areconcentrio with the-tamp-rods, so that the empty -shells (not shown) inthe'shell holder 2| engage the nipples l! -thereby-eliminating anypossibility of losing" explosive during the filling operation. .Afterthe shells have been filled, the shell holder 2! is lowered andrevolved, and the shells are crimped,-closed and-ejected by means (notshown) well known in the art, thereby augmenting a continuous mode ofoperation as empty shells are continuously fed to the shell holder 21.In connection with feeding the explosive to the hopper l9, any suitablemeans, such *as'continuous conveyors (not shown) may be employed. Inconnection with the shell filling operation suitable safe methods foragitating the explosive in the hopper must be provided toinsuruniformity in packing the shells. Asuitable and vwell known expedientfor accomplishing this purpose is the utilization of mechanical means(not shown) within the explosive hopper 19, whereby friction in theexplosive is kept to a minimum.

The apparatus for independent operation of .the tamp rods and means forloclnnganyoneof them stationary, as soon as its respective .shell isfilled, without stopping the action of theothers will now be describedwith particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Each of the plurality oftamprods I3 is reciprocated vertically by cross-head II which has aplurality of friction clamp-plates or gibs 23 held into engagement withthe tamprods 13. These gibs '23 are individually regulated by thumbscrews '25 as to give any desired degree of frictional contact to itsrespective tamprod I3. This frictional connection of the tamprods withthe cross-head causes the latter to reciprocate the tamp-rods, but stillleaves them slidably independent thereof, so that they may slide whenpacking conditions so necessitate. A hand wheel 21 is also provided forgeneral adjustment of the cross-head II, which is customarily utilizedto compensate for temperature variation, thereby rendering itunnecessary to adjust all the thumb screws 25 individually. Below thecross-head ll there is a dogging device 29 whose function is to look anyone ofthe tamp-rods I3 as soon as it fills its respective shell and hasrisen to a point where its action is no longer needed. This function isaccomplished by having a plurality of dogging pins 38 slidably securedin .the dogging device 29, which are compressively maintained in anoperative position by springs 3'3 respectively, and which operate when aswing bar 35 actuates fluid cylinders M" to move the dogging device "29forward so that the dogging pins 3| engage apertured inserts 39 integralwith the tamp-rods l3, thereby locking the latter in a fixed position.To disengage the dogging pin 3| from the inserts 39 push rods M areactuated by constant pressure fluid cylinders 43 when the swing bar 35is forward as a result of all of the pins having engagedtheirrespect'iveinserts, and fluid cylinders 31 have been exhausted."This moves the dogging device 29 backward to its inoperative positionand, accordingly, the dogging pins 3! assume theirrespe'ctive'inoperative .positions.

Each time thetamp-rods Hare raised by frictional engagement with thecross-:head "H, they do not all stand, necessarily, on :the samevilevel, due to different quantities of explosive :having been packed inthe various shells. They are brought to the same level, however, beforestarting on the initial downward3st'roke'byralcushioned correcting bar'45 which limits *operative position is disposed directly albove thetamperods 1313.116. against which the tamp-rods strike and areil'evele'djust above the cross-ihead H to give a, full initial stroke. Thiscausesiall ofth'e independent tamp-rods to have an "equal advance strokethrough the explosive at the initiation .of teach filling cycle. Thecorrecting bar 45 is moved to its operative position by constantpressure, fluid cylinders 41 and 'is actuated "to its inoperativeposition when increased pressure :is supplied to fluid cylinders 49.Cross-head 'bala ncecylinders 5| under constant pressure haveassociated. members (not shown) cormected'totheorosshead "H and serve tobalance the 'cross-headiagainst frictional and gravitational forces as?it' reciprocates up and 'down 'inguides. Acheckbarfifii "located nearthe top *of the A frames 1 :serves to :limit the travel of the'tamp-rods upwardl :under all conditions.

W'hen the shells of the cartridgesrare -packed with explosive, it willbe seen'that if'all the tamprods are connected rigidly together, anyoneof the shells is liable 'to be filled in advance "of the others,andif its tamp-rod continued toactgthe explosive would be compressed toohard in that particular shell, while the others would be imperfectlyfilled; but when the tamp-rods are each independent in their action,whenevera tamp-T'cd which has filled its shell in advance of theothers,rises to a, given point, this tamp-rod is locked stationary 'while allthe others continue to work until they have filled their respectiveshells 'at which time the same "action takes place with them. When theshells are being packedw'ith explosive by successive reciprocation ofthe tamprods, every movement of each tamp-rod packs a definite quantityof explosive into the shell and each tamp-rod must, as the shell becomesfilled, rise; but when the cross-head comes down for the next stroke,the tamp-rod is driven down just as far as it had heretofore risen'fromthe growin bulk of explosive in the shell, therefore it will be seenthat when the tamp-rod has reached its extreme height from a perfectlyfilled shell, at this time only do the tamp-rods come into registry withthe dogging pin and are securely locked.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the apparatusimprovement comprising the present invention will be set forth and asgenerally described will be referred to as a tri lepurpose bar.Apparatus for uniformly packing a shell with explosive to form acartridge has been disclosed above, however, when it is desired to packa, shell having afirm initial portion, a loose central portion and afirm final portion, a dogging element 55 is affixed to each of thetamprods I3. A triple-purpose bar 51 is slidably mounted between anglebrackets 59, which are afiixed to the A frames I, and the bar 51 engagesthe dogging elements 55 in a manner hereinafter described. Thetriple-purpose bar 51 comprises a body member 6I having reinforcingmembers 63 and 65 affixed to the top and bottom side, respectively, ofthe body member. Interposed between the reinforcing member 63 and thebody member 6I is a cover plate 61. A plurality of spring urged detents69 each having a compression spring H and each of which is adapted toengage its respective dogging element 55, is slidably secured to thebody member 6 I by bolts 13, sleeves 15, nuts 11, pins 19 and plates 6|which are alfixed to the body member by screws 83. Fluid cylinders 85and 81, affixed to the frames I, move the triple-purpose bar 51 forwardto a position, represented by 51' as limited by the piston stroke ofcylinders 85 and 81. Fluid cylinders 89 and 9|, adjacent to cylinders 85and 81 respectively, move the triple-purpose bar further forward to aposition, represented by 51" as imparted by the piston stroke ofcylinders 89 and 9| and as limited by the piston stroke of cylinders 93and 95, adjustably affixed to the frames I. With forward movement of thebar 51 to operative position 51', latchin heels 55a on dogging elements55 are engaged. When the cylinders 85, 89, and 81, 9| are exhausted, thepiston rods 91 and 99, respectively, engage seats I05 and I91,respectively, which are aflixed to the bar 51, and the bar is returnedto its inoperative position by cylinders 93 and 95. When cylinders 93and 95 are exhausted and cylinders 89 and 9| are filled with motivefluid, bar 51 moves to the operative positon 51" and latching heel 5512on dogging elements 55 are engaged. The top portion of dogging elements55 is bevelled and the engaging end of detents 69 is beveled in acompatible manner so that the latching heels 55a during the ascendingstroke of the tamp-rods I3 push the slidable detents 69 backwards as theelements 55 slip by, when the bar 51 i in position 51'.

An example of the operation of the invention is given for packing aneight inch cartridge, wherein it is desired to pack the initial twoinches firm, the next four inches loose and the remaining two inchesfirm. After the tamp-rods I 3 have executed a couple of strokes in theconventional manner, whereby the explosive is firmly packed in thebottom two inches of the shell, cylinders 85 and 81 actuated by fluidpressure move the triplepurpose bar 51 to position 51' (Fig. 6). In thisposition the latching heels 55a on the descending stroke engage thedetents 69 of the bar 51 and on the ascending stroke slip by the detentsas explained, supra. With the bar 51 in this position, the tamp-rods I3merely push explosive loosely into the shell without packing it firm.When the explosive has been loosely packed for approximately four inchesthe explosive builds up to a point where the tamp-rods I3 are againpacking firm, due to the fact the latching heels a are no longerengaging the detents 59. These latter two inches are, therefore, firmlypackedsimilar to the initial'two inches and this firm packing in the endof the cartridge facilitates crimping the ends, whereby such deleteriouseffects such as, mushroomed ends, telescopic wrinkling, and collapsingof the cartridges are eliminated. When the cartridges have been fullypacked, the dogging pins 3| engage the inserts 39 of the tamprods I3 inthe conventional manner, as explained,

supra.

A safety feature, comprising one of the functions of the triple-purposebar 51 is utilized independent of the other functions, that is, whethersoft packing or not. Each time the shell'holder 2| drops, fluid pressureis exhausted from cylinders 93 and 95 and cylinders 99 and 9| actuatedby fiuid pressure, thereby move the bar '51'to safety position'51" (Fig.6) whereby the tamprods are dogged" and cannot enter their respectiveshells. As soon as the shell holder 2| has turned and has raised so thatthe shells engage nipples I1, the cylinders and the fluid pressurepreviously exhausted is again applied to cylinders 93 and 95, and theybar 51 returns to its inoperative position.

There are numerous factors which will influence conditions for the mostsatisfactory operation of the invention, the actual limits of whichcannot be established except by detailed study of each set of materialsand the intermediate and finished products involved, however, it is seenthat the functions of bar 51 are three-fold and adapted to provide meansfor automatically soft packing, automatically preventing fromaccidentally sticking down in such manner as to interfere with rotationof the shell holder, and manually dogging up the entire set of tampingrods to the inoperative position whenever necessary due to accidents orother exigencies. It is further seen that a method of soft packingcartridges is provided wherein the cartridges are so packed thatcrimping is accomplished without deleterious distortion in the body ofthe cartridge.

It will be seen, therefore, that this invention actually may be carriedout by the use of various modifications and changes without departingfrom its spirit and scope.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for filling shells having a series of independenttamping rods and driving mechanism frictionally engaging the tampingrods to reciprocate and permit them to independently retrogress as theshells become filled, the improvement which comprises a dogging elementafiixed'to' each of the independent tamp rods; a dogging bar havingindependent detents adapted to engage the independent dogging elements;

means for moving the dogging bar to a first position to engage thedogging elements and restrict downward travel of the tamp-rods intotheir respective shells; and means for moving the dogging bar to asecond position to engage the dogging element and prevent the tamp-rodsfrom entering their respective shells.

2. In a machine for packing cartridges with explosive having a series ofindependent tamping rods and driving mechanism frictionally engaging thetamping rods to reciprocate and permit them to independently retrogressas the car- 85, 81 and 89, 9| are exhausted any tamp-rods tridges becomefilled, the improvement which comprises a dogging element aflixed toeach of the independent tamp-rods, said dogging element having an upperstep and a lower step, the upper step having a beveled top portionadjacent thereto; a dogging bar having independent spring urged detentsadapted to engage the dogging elements, each detent having a beveledportion operatively contiguous with the beveled top portion of arespective dogging element, to permit the dogging element to slip by thedetent when its respective tamp-rcd ascends; means for moving thedogging bar to a first position wherein the detents engage the upperstep of their respective dogging elements, thereby restraining thedescent of the tamp-rods into their respective cartridges; and means formoving the dogging bar to a second position wherein the detents engagethe lower step of their respective dogging elements, thereby preventingthe tamp-rods from entering their respective cartridges.

3. In combination with a machine for filling shells a dogging mechanismwhich comprises a series of independent clogging elements each of whichis aifixed to a respective tamp-rod of a series of independenttamp-rods, each of said dogging elements having an upper step and alower step, the upper step having a beveled top portion adjacentthereto; a dogging bar having independent spring urged detents adaptedto engage the dogging elements, each detent having a beveled portionoperatively contiguous with the beveled top portion of a respectivedogging element, to permit the dogging element to slip by the detentwhen its respective tamp-rod ascends; means for moving the dogging barto a first position wherein the detents engage the upper step of theirrespective dogging element's, thereby restraining the descent of thetamp rods into their respective shells; means for moving the dogging barto a second position wherein the detents engage the lower step of theirrespective dogging elements, thereby preventing the tamp-rods from 20entering their respective shells.

JOSEPH L. CLARK. CARLYLE M. LINDEN. CLOYD J. OBERT.

